


Return to the Stars

by breakthewheel



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Action, Adora doesn't know what a date is, Adventure, Best Friend Squad (She-Ra), Canon Compliant, F/F, First Dates, First Time, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Post-Canon, Rated M for some love scenes, Romance, Season 5 Spoilers, but there is an overall plot, catradora, just in case, some slice of life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:54:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24454018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breakthewheel/pseuds/breakthewheel
Summary: It's been only a few weeks since the Rebellion defeated Horde Prime and the kingdoms of Etheria are hard at work rebuilding, delaying plans to return magic to the universe. Meanwhile, Adora and Catra decide to take a well-deserved week off to spend some time alone to explore their new relationship. But when a familiar signal from deep space is picked up, the Best Friend Squad and the Princess Alliance must come together for one more adventure.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 76
Kudos: 206





	1. The Signal: Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> I recently watched She-Ra in its entirety and I can't stop thinking about it. Amazing show and I still can't believe Catradora is CANON. I also love how many possibilities the creators left open at the end. 
> 
> Anyway, I decided to write out my feelings to work through not having any more episodes to watch. This story will be ongoing and while it will have a focused plot, it will be in episodic bits so there will be a lot of fluff and fun but also some focused plot. I decided to rate it M because there will be some love scenes (of course!) but it won't be very quick. The focused ship is Adora/Catra but there are minor mentions of other relationships.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think, I really would love to know more people to gush about this amazing show with! I'm also on tumblr [@breakthewheelagain](https://breakthewheelagain.tumblr.com/).

_One more Best Friends Squad road trip._

Yep, those had been Adora’s exact words. And Glimmer had to admit, it really did seem like a great idea at the time. Entrapta could ready the ship—sorry, _Darla_ in a few hours, rations would be prepped and packed, Bow would configure all of his trick arrows in no time, Adora would have She-Ra at the ready, Catra would…well, probably brood about it but she usually had good ideas especially if they got into a rough spot, and she was certain her father would agree to watch over Bright Moon while they restored magic to the universe.

The perfect quest, right? They were great at quests—always had been and had the experience to show for it, didn’t they?

But the last few weeks had done nothing to help get that plan off the ground, pun _not_ intended. Glimmer knew rebuilding and restoring the kingdoms after Horde Prime’s defeat would be a lot of work, but no one could have predicted what it would really take.

While it had survived Horde Prime’s invasion, Etheria, after everything it had been through between the First Ones’ meddling and later the Horde, was damaged and it just didn’t make sense to leave.

Besides Glimmer was queen now and it was time she started taking care of her kingdom instead of leading it into yet another unknown. Her last major act as queen of Bright Moon had nearly ended the world. Bow would try to convince her otherwise but she knew after seeing him so angry (the first time ever, if she was being honest) that he was just trying to keep her confident. Ruling was a hard job, something she still didn’t feel prepared for when she entered the throne room each morning.

Now seated alone in the war room, she gazed out the window as she waited for the others to arrive. This particular morning was bright and clear, the rays of light reflecting on the kingdom and its vast landscapes in the distance. The Whispering Woods stood beyond, illuminated even from afar in the daylight thanks to the restoration of the planet’s magic. 

_So close. So close to losing everything._ It seemed like a lifetime ago when she and Bow had met, no, _captured_ Adora in the woods. So many battles, most of them against Catra and the Horde. Catra, who now _lived_ in the palace. Catra, her _friend._ She shook her head, a smile forming on her face.

They had won. It had taken almost everything, but they had won. There still had not been a celebration—Glimmer had opted not to host one until the rebuild had progressed more.

_Speaking of which, where is everyone?_

As though on cue, she heard Bow enter the war room as he gave a greeting to the guards outside. When their eyes met, his face lit up to Standard Bow Excitement levels and he grinned. “Hey Glimmer! I saw Mermista outside the castle. She said the others would be here soon. But enough about that. How’s my favorite queen of Bright Moon this morning?”

“Bow, I’m the only queen of Bright Moon,” she answered with a laugh. “And I’m fine.” She looked around, even though she knew there was no one else in the room, before turning back to him and gesturing him over. He swiftly obeyed, crossing the room in a few long strides and finishing with a gently-placed kiss on her lips.

“I still can’t believe we do this now,” she said once he pulled away, his soft brown eyes shining back at her.

“It’s really great but yeah, I guess it does take some getting used to.” He squeezed her shoulder before taking a seat in the smaller chair next to her. “Have you told Adora? Or your dad?”

Glimmer laughed. “Dad knows. I think he’s trying to figure out how to talk to you about it, if he should. He’s still adjusting to being home and me being, well, not a little kid anymore. And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Adora like, three times since the battle, so she definitely doesn’t know yet.”

Bow arched his eyebrows. “Oh…is she all right? Should we be you know, checking up on her more?” He scratched at the light scruff on his chin that he had been trying to grow out for the last year or so. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Catra much either.”

“She left a note on my door this morning saying she wouldn’t be at the meeting. We can check on her afterwards, though!”

That just seemed to worry Bow even more. “What if she’s sick? Should we bring her soup? I can make soup—I make great soup!” He stood up. “Maybe I should go check on her, just in case.”

Glimmer grabbed his arm. “No! Adora’s been through a lot. She deserves a break.” Her voice dropped to a near whisper. “Maybe more than any of us.”

*******

Adora drooled when she slept.

How Catra could have forgotten that fact was beyond her. The light snores, the snuffling, even the octopus-like death grip that left its victim (in this case, Catra) unable to move were fine, even cute in a very _Adora_ way but now there was the very real problem of Adora’s drool slowly seeping into her undergarment top and there was no way for Catra to escape.

_Gross._

_At least she’s not fighting in her sleep this time._ Even when Adora wasn’t having a nightmare, there was always a battle to be fought apparently in her dreams. It wasn’t weird for Catra to come out of those “battles” with some bruises of her own. But it was hard to stay mad or annoyed for long whenever she looked at Adora these days.

The flashbacks and nightmares of her time on Horde Prime’s ship—those had stayed. Catra knew it would be a long time before they went away for good, if they ever did. But even when she did have them, they were always chased away by thoughts of Adora and their kiss in the Heart of Etheria. Or better yet, waking up and finding herself in Adora’s strong and steady hold.

From the far corner of the room, Melog let out a mewl of concern. _Need help?_

Looking down at Adora’s head resting on her chest, her blonde hair out of its trademark ponytail, Catra let out a happy sigh. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe they were _together_. “I’m good, Melog,” she whispered.

“…mmph…Catra?” Adora stirred, lifting her head (leaving behind a wet shirt) until she blinked up at Catra with those familiar but still beautiful blue eyes.

Catra flicked her tail and smiled. There was no need for her to keep her guard up here and if she was being honest, it was a relief not to have to. “Hey, Adora.”

Adora offered a sleepy grin before snuggling into Catra’s chest and seemed satisfied when she felt a soft, low rumble emanate from there. “Morning.” But her grin vanished soon after and she withdrew slightly. “Ugh, your shirt is wet. Did you forget to use a towel or something when you showered?”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Uh, no. A princess drooled on my shirt while holding me in a death grip. Again.”

“Oh.” A light blush appeared on Adora’s cheeks. “Whoops. Sorry.”

“Riiight. I swear you do it on purpose,” Catra said, narrowing her eyes. “Admit it, you’re trying to take me out with the power of drool.”

A roguish smile crossed Adora’s face right before she pushed herself up and straddled Catra in one fluid motion, their noses almost touching. Her competitive streak shone through her hardened expression. “Yep. That’s it. And now to unleash my ultimate weapon.” She stuck out her tongue. “Tung Lashor!”

Catra’s eyes went wide. She struggled but Adora had her pinned—what she lacked in agility she definitely compensated for with brute strength. “No no no no no no! I _swear_ on everything, Adora, if you lick my face again I’m going to get Sparkles to teleport you to Frosta’s castle and you can spend the rest of the day licking ice.”

The seriousness in Adora’s gaze broke and gave way to a bright laugh, a laugh that made Catra melt on the inside. She lifted her head and captured Adora’s lips in a soft kiss, the rumbling in her chest starting up again as Adora let out a low hum.

The kiss was gentle and slow, as they usually were, and while Catra had thought about maybe exploring _more_ she had decided to keep things slow for now. She knew they were both new to this and really, they had time. No more wars, no more fighting.

_This is real._

“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that,” were Adora’s breathless words once they parted. “I love you so much.”

Catra planted a kiss on Adora’s forehead. “I love you. But I’m also hungry and covered in drool.”

Adora laughed again as she sat up. “I said I was sorry! Come on.” She grabbed a pillow from the small bed they had been sharing since their return to Bright Moon and lightly smacked Catra with it. “Let’s see if we can make it to the kitchen without anyone seeing us.”

Catra stole the pillow back and tossed it on the bed before standing up. “Well that’s easy. You stay here and I’ll go.”

“What? I can be stealthy when I want!”

“Please,” Catra drawled. She ducked behind the dressing screen and began changing her clothes. “You’re like the least stealthy person in Etheria. I think Scorpia is sneakier than you are. Plus, if anyone catches you they’re gonna tell Glimmer and she’s probably going to ask you to do She-Ra things which is the exact opposite of ‘taking a week off’.”

Adora fell back on the bed with an indignant huff. “Ugh. You’re probably right. Fine,” she said. “I’ll stay here. You get me food.”

“On it.” Catra emerged in her favorite outfit and took a moment to cup Adora’s face in her hand. “Be right back,” she promised and gave Adora a final peck on the lips before darting out of the bedroom.


	2. The Signal: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Entrapta and the Hordaks intercept a mysterious signal. Glimmer tries to give Adora relationship advice.

Entrapta hummed to herself happily as she perused the selection on the silver tray before her. The choices: a tiny chocolate cupcake, a tiny pretzel, a tiny wedge of cheese, and of course, a tiny sampler containing tinier versions of all of these.

“Hmmm, I like all of them,” she decided, scratching her head with a thick grouping of her purple hair before looking up at her kitchen staff with a confused look. “Uh…do I really need to pick just one?”

“Ah, this is just for the third course of appetizers, Your Highness,” her steward explained.

Entrapta gave her a blank stare. Her staff of three exchanged worried glances before the steward spoke again. “Er…for the dinner party this weekend? You’ve invited some of the Princesses and their plus ones.”

Entrapta’s vacant look continued. “Oh. I did? I did.” She blinked a few times before her eyes lit up. “Riiiiiiiight, I remember now! Let’s do all of them. With Adora coming we’ll probably need more food anyway.”

“O-of course, Your Highness. The next course samples should be ready within the hour.” The staff bowed and took their leave, leaving Entrapta in her lab with Hordak and Wrong Hordak. Hordak was using a blowtorch to fuse together pieces gathered from the wreckage of Horde Prime’s bots into what would soon be a maneuverable arm to assist the princesses with cleaning up the rubble scattered across Etheria. Wrong Hordak was observing and occasionally bringing Hordak any required materials.

“Bring me that crate of iridium,” Hordak ordered.

Wrong Hordak’s mouth opened with a great smile. “Brother! I recommend welding Side A point two-five-zero onto Base Unit ten-five-one before fusing the iridium with the core compound. It will increase structural integrity of our new bot’s arm by forty percent.”

Hordak flashed angry red eyes at his clone before putting down the blowtorch. “For the last time do not seek to question my expertise,” he growled. “I am a master engineer of robotics and anyone who suggests otherwise is a fool. Now, bring me the iridium.”

Wrong Hordak’s smile did not waver. “Of course, Brother!” he answered with a wink.

Hordak clenched his fists. “Your facial tic is unnerving. If I—” His follow up threat was cut off by a steady series of beeps coming from one of Entrapta’s consoles.

“It appears the communications tower has connected with an extraplanetary signal, Brother,” Wrong Hordak announced.

“What?” Hordak looked up at one of the many nearby monitors and saw a purple waveform translation flicker before taking shape on the screen. He studied the screen with a long pause. “The tower must be malfunctioning again. A recalibration will be required.”

“I assure you, Brother, the tower is operating at 100% efficiency and functionality.”

Hordak opened his mouth to argue again but stopped when Entrapta wandered over. “Hordaks, have you finished the arm for the reconstruction bot yet? I told Perfuma she could carry it to Bright Moon next week.”

“I-Entrapta, there is—” Hordak tried.

Entrapta didn’t seem to hear him. “Hordak I promised my friends we would come through on this. Don’t you see how important it is? We cannot afford to get distracted on this. The Princess Alliance is counting on us!” She shot a determined fist into the air. “Also, is anyone recording that signal transmitting from outer space?”

Both Hordaks could only stare at her.

She clasped her gloved hands together. “I’ll get on it!” she yelled before rushing to the console in question. A few button presses and three lever pulls later the beeping crackled and something… _else_ came through the speakers.

Entrapta’s eyes widened. “Oh…oh my.” She spun to face the Hordaks. “We need to get to Bright Moon _stat!”_

*******

Adora sat on the window sill in her bedroom, gazing out at the starry sky above. _So beautiful._ The universe seemed so quiet, even more so since Horde Prime had fallen. Adora had spent most of her life never seeing a single star. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to the brilliant dots and swirling purple and white dust that covered the sky. She wondered if Catra would ever want to watch them with her, boring as that might sound.

That was okay though, right? Adora recalled the hours the two of them spent in bed just holding each other over the last few weeks. There was the occasional tease of course, but they mostly stayed there in silence. There were the kisses as well. _So many kisses._ She still could not get over how _happy_ Catra made her feel now, and kissing Catra did an even bigger number on her. Gone were the days where being around Catra would make her feel conflicted, sad, even angry. There was no doubt about it: Adora _loved_ Catra and everything about her. Her breathing, her heartbeat, the way her head spun when Catra would push her down and bring them both into a kiss. The soft distinct rumble of her purring, even though Catra would seem almost shy, even embarrassed about it afterward.

Her thoughts went back to their adventure in space. _I bet she would have had fun if Horde Prime hadn’t been involved. We could have had fun._

Adora was so entranced by the sight she did not hear the knock on the door, or the slight creak when Glimmer opened it and entered.

“Adora?”

Startled, Adora jumped from her seat, nearly losing her balance. Fortunately, she grabbed the frame and was able to keep herself from tumbling out the window. After a bout of frantic flailing, she turned to Glimmer, her cheeks flush from embarrassment at being caught unaware. “Ahh…hehe. Didn’t hear you come in, Glimmer.”

Glimmer smirked. “Your super Horde training is starting to wear off, huh?”

Despite everything that had happened, Adora still had to scoff at her words. “Hah! Yeah, right. I was just…you know, taking a break. Relaxing.”

That got a disbelieving laugh out of Glimmer. “You? Relax? I’ll believe it when I see it.” She looked around the otherwise empty room, her gaze stopping on the bed for a moment before meeting Adora again. “So…Catra’s not back yet?”

“Nah. She went out with Scorpia after your meeting to get some new uh…clothes. I think they might have gone for a drink after.”

Glimmer raised an eyebrow. “Catra went shopping? With _Scorpia?_ ”

“Crazy, right? And yeah, just for you know, sleepwear and other stuff,” Adora clarified. “She lost all of her things back when, well, you know.”

Glimmer made her way to the window and placed a hand on Adora’s shoulder. “I know. It’s been an adjustment for all of us. Speaking of which, are you certain she doesn’t want her own space? We do have a spare room.”

Adora snorted. “The dungeon?”

“Yes, well, former dungeon. Entrapta and Hordak promised to build a proper prison for Bright Moon, though hopefully we’ll never have to use it.” She released Adora’s shoulder and looked around the room again. “So, you two must be pretty used to sharing a room then?”

“Oh, I mean we used to share a bed back in the Fright Zone all the time,” Adora said with a shrug. “Catra had her own bunk but she rarely slept in it. I think she just prefers to not be alone at night.” A thought crossed her mind. “Do you and Bow ever share a bed?”

 _That_ got a blush out of Glimmer. “Oh, well…no. Bow slept on the window bench a lot during the war but lately he’s been going back to his dads’ a lot. I think he’s shy about staying over since we’ve started—” She cut herself off, a flicker of realization and what Adora could only describe as fear on her face before she sighed. “Dating. Bow and I are dating, Adora.”

Adora tilted her head. “Is that…a bad thing?”

“I would hope not?” Glimmer replied with an odd expression. But when she saw how confused Adora looked, she giggled and threw her arms around her friend, nearly pushing them both out the window. “Adora, I am so sorry! I still forget the Horde didn’t teach you about these sorts of things.”

Adora offered an awkward pat on the back while simultaneously trying to keep them from falling. “Glimmer, it’s fine. What’s dating?”

Glimmer’s first response was a giggle before pulling away to actually explain and for what must have been the fourth time that day Adora mentally checked another box on her “Why Leaving the Horde Was Probably a Good Thing” list. “Dating is something people do when they care about each other and want to spend more time together! You go out or have a romantic dinner together or sit by the fire and talk and since it’s a date you obviously would hold hands and hug and kiss and if the date goes _really_ well then—”

Adora’s eyes opened wide as images of her morning with Catra surfaced in her mind and she suddenly felt very warm. “Oooh.” She rubbed the back of her neck as the warmth seemed to spread upwards. “I uh, I get it, I think. I mean, that’s really great for you and Bow right? You two are happy?” Now that she thought about it, Glimmer _had_ seemed more…sparkly than usual since the war ended and she overheard Bow singing to himself a lot more lately and it didn’t sound like that awful “Best Friends” song he usually sang. _I suppose it’s sort of like what Catra and I have?_ Was there a name for that? _What are we?_

“Totally!” Glimmer said, beaming. She shifted her weight between feet, her tone wavering with what sounded like guilt to Adora. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner but you’ve been sort of…scarce the last week or so and I’ve been in meetings with the other princesses and well, life happened I guess.”

Adora’s mind was still on the previous topic, though. “So um, have you and Bow gone on a ‘date’ yet?”

Glimmer’s cheerful demeanor returned and Adora could see something different in her best friend. A sort of happiness that hadn’t been there before.

“But you definitely deserve time off after everything,” Glimmer rambled on. “Plus you and Catra are probably catching up still. Once the reconstruction is further along I’m sure things will go back to normal.” She frowned. “Well, more normal I suppose. I don’t know if things were ever _normal_ normal—”

“Catra and I kissed in the Heart,” Adora blurted. “I think we might be…dating.”

That silenced Glimmer. Adora wasn’t sure what that meant at first, if anything. But when Glimmer’s eyes welled up with tears, she knew she was destined for another hug. Moments later she was wrapped in Glimmer’s surprisingly strong arms again.

“I _knew_ it! Ahh I’m so happy for you two! After all those fights and sacrifices you two are finally together!” Glimmer squealed. “It’s like something from one of those epic adventure romances I used to read a few years back.”

Adora returned the hug, her heart swelling with gratitude for all of the supportive people she had in her life now. “Thanks, Glimmer. We’re still—I’m really new to this and I think Catra is, too. We’re still figuring it out.”

Glimmer pulled away again and gasped. “You two should go on a date!”

“Us? A date?”

“Yes! I could have the kitchen staff prepare the most romantic dinner, candles everywhere of course. Oh, there would be music and you could go for a moonlit walk in the garden and then—”

Adora put up her hands. “Whoa. That all sounds great, Glimmer but um, shouldn’t I talk about it with Catra first? Shouldn’t she have a say in what we do on the date?”

Glimmer laughed. “Well, she could. But this is Catra we’re talking about. Hmm.” She bit her lip, apparently deep in thought. “You could always plan something together. Maybe go on a trip together for a few days.”

 _That actually sounds like something Catra might like._ “I think that could be fun. Thanks, Glimmer.” She leaned in for another quick hug and Glimmer eagerly returned it. 

Now she only had to talk to Catra.

*******

Catra returned a few hours later, walking into their bedroom with a single small burlap sack containing exactly one sleep shirt that she finally bought in order to prevent herself from going crazy after Scorpia had made her try on dozens of them. She found Adora sitting on the bed, already changed into a sleep top and shorts for the night, reading a book with a rather…pink cover. She seemed rather engrossed in it.

“Whatcha reading?” she asked, making Adora’s spine go rigid and a small squeak come out of her as the book went flying through the air. When she saw Catra in the doorway she let out a low growl.

“Ugh, would everyone please stop doing that?”

Catra tossed the bag to the side and closed the door behind her. “Someone’s jumpy tonight.” She noted the book. “What is that and why is it pink?”

Adora wrung her hands and…was she _nervous?_ “It’s uh, it’s Glimmer’s. It’s a…roman—adventure novel! Yeah, adventure.” She chuckled. “It’s not very good.”

Catra knew when Adora was covering but she ignored it for now. “Right. Anyway, I’m beat and I’m never doing that again.”

The book forgotten, Adora’s nervousness vanished and she held out her hand. “Come here? I missed you.”

A gentle smile spread on Catra’s face, her stomach doing the strange flipping sensation that seemed to happen whenever Adora gave her that dorky look. “Sure. I just need to change first.”

A few minutes later (and with Catra in her new, drool-free shirt and worn shorts) the two of them were cuddled up under the covers, legs and arms tangled with each other’s, the candles both magical and non-magical extinguished.

Neither of them said anything for a while as Adora slowly stroked Catra’s choppy hair, and Catra was content to keep it that way as she rested her head on Adora’s chest, listening to her steady heartbeat and the comforting sound of her breathing. There was a time when she didn’t know if either of those things would stay, when Adora had been critically injured by Prime’s virus. _It’s over now. He can’t get either of us anymore._ It was something she had to remind herself of often.

Adora was the first to break the silence. “Hey Catra?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to go on a date with me?”

Catra looked up, her eyes meeting Adora’s. Even in the darkness of the room, the stars outside provided just enough light for her to see the worry in Adora’s face. “A date?”

“Yeah. You know like, have dinner, walk with some candles, romantic moons and stuff?” Adora furrowed her brow. “Wait, no that’s not right.”

Catra laughed. “I get it. I think I’ve heard Sparkles go on about those when she’s talking about Bow with the others.”

Adora seemed offended. She sat up, making Catra whine in disappointment at the loss of her pillow. “Wait, you knew? _I_ didn’t even know. Did Glimmer tell you?”

“Psh. No. She just can’t keep her mouth shut. Or the volume of her voice down.” She pushed Adora’s shoulder. “Lie back down, I was comfortable.”

Adora shrugged and did as she was told, but this time wrapped her arms around Catra tightly, invoking a happy sigh from Catra. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Catra returned. “And sure, we can go on a date. But just us, okay? I don’t want anyone tagging along. I get enough of Arrow Boy calling everything I do ‘cute’ and I don’t want to accidentally throw him out a window or—” She stopped when she realized Adora’s eyes had gone wide and were glistening. “You okay?”

Her response was a bone-crushing hug. “Yes,” Adora whispered. “It’s just…sometimes I can’t believe this is real.”

“Well,” Catra gasped as she struggled to breathe. “Not sure how long it’s gonna last honestly ‘cuz you’re about to suffocate me.”

Adora immediately relaxed her grip, but kept her arms around Catra. “Whoops. Please don’t die.”

“Eh, I’ve never been very good at that anyway.” Silence descended upon them again. “Um, so what did you want to do on this uh, date?”

Adora stroked her cheek. “Whatever we want, I suppose! We can always decide tomorrow.”

Catra leaned into her touch, deciding that what she wanted right now was to be near and touch Adora. Even the smallest touch gave her comfort, reassured her that Adora was still there—that she had _stayed_ for Catra.

While she was tired from her day out with Scorpia (she had forgotten just how much _energy_ Scorpia had), she was able to come up with the strength to roll them over so that she was on top of Adora, not that it took much to get Adora to give in. She leaned down and took Adora’s bottom lip between hers. Adora hummed beneath her, clutching her back as the kiss deepened.

Catra had never kissed anyone else before Adora, but an instinct she couldn’t explain seemed to be guiding her as their lips moved against one another’s. Despite Adora relaxing her hold, Catra found herself still having to manage her breathing especially once she felt the warmth of Adora’s hands running up and down her back. She let her claws extend just enough to cling to Adora’s white top and pulled them even closer together, even though it still didn’t feel close enough somehow.

That’s when the tip of Adora’s tongue began to gently prod at Catra’s mouth, brushing up against her bottom lip. She shuddered and a foreign, high-pitched whine sounded—it took a second before Catra realized it was _her_ making that sound.

The door burst open, the violent thump of it sending a rush of adrenaline into Catra. Her claws extended even more, biting into Adora’s sides and making her cry out.

“Adora! Catra, you both need to get to the war room right _now_ and—OH. Oh, my…I am _so_ sorry, guys!” Glimmer’s voice rang, piercing the quiet air of the room. The magical lights in the room all turned up to maximum brightness.

Catra looked down and cringed when she saw Adora wince from her claws before jumping out of bed, exactly one hundred percent of her anger directed at Glimmer. “Sparkles, what the f—”

“I’m sorry, I’m _very_ sorry for interrupting your…‘activities’, okay?!” Glimmer yelled back. Even in the dark Catra could see by the deep pink in her cheeks she was obviously very embarrassed, which honestly might have been enough punishment…for now anyway.

“Could everybody _please_ stop yelling?” Adora asked, though her voice was not exactly quiet, either. She pulled up one of the straps on her top which had slid down during their “activities” and cleared her throat. “What’s wrong Glimmer?”

Glimmer took a moment to catch her breath. “Entrapta…she’s here with the Hordaks. They—they found a signal, Adora.”

“A signal? A signal from who?”

“I can explain on the way,” Glimmer said. “But they know it came from space. You two need to come with me. We have a lot to go over.”

Catra crossed her arms and shook her head. “Hold up, Sparkles. Don’t tell me it’s another alien invasion. Because I really don’t think I could deal with that.”

But Glimmer shook her head. “No. Nothing like that. It’s…” Her eyes turned to the floor before going back to Adora. “It’s a voice. Someone’s…voice.”

Adora tensed and Catra could almost feel the question in the air. _Is Horde Prime still alive?_ “Whose voice, Glimmer?”

“This sounds impossible,” Glimmer said, running her hands through strands of messy pink hair, “but it sounds like…my mom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you SO much for the support. I'm [@breakthewheelagain](https://breakthewheelagain.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr.


	3. Blame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Entrapta shares the signal with the group. Catra blames herself for Angella's death and worries about her and Adora's future.

Glimmer leaned over the edge of the table, the holographic projection of the waveform of the intercepted signal hovering in front of her. “Play it again.”

Entrapta tapped a few buttons on her handheld device and the projection flickered a few times before looping back to the beginning of the signal. The audio was mostly broken but in between the bits of static a voice could be heard.

_“…t-t-time. It’s been—I’m not certain how long it’s been. …cannot be undone but w-we must try. D-do not-t-t-t—”_

Static consumed the rest of the message and the projection went dark.

Adora turned to Entrapta. “Is there more? Can’t we clean it up somehow?”

Entrapta motioned at the table with her hair. “If I knew the origin of the signal perhaps, but that got garbled in the transmission, too.”

Bow stood behind Glimmer with his hands on her shoulders. “Glimmer, could that really be…?”

“I don’t know,” Glimmer said, wrapping her arms around herself. “But I’d know my mom’s voice anywhere.”

King Micah spoke up, his voice shakier than Adora was accustomed to. “I agree with Glimmer. It’s definitely Angella’s voice. Entrapta, you said if you knew the origin of the signal you might be able to get the rest of the message?”

As Entrapta explained the process, most of the explanation wrapped in tech-heavy jargon, Adora noticed Catra was standing off to the side away from the group, her shoulders slightly slumped over, ears having fallen a bit flat. She took a few steps over and took Catra’s hand, and while Catra did not reject it, she remained quiet. It took a moment for Adora to realize why.

“Glimmer,” she said slowly, turning to her friends. “What do you want to do?”

The room went dead quiet save the muted beeps coming from the table. All eyes were on Glimmer, who finally turned to Micah.

“Dad,” she whispered and went to him. “What if-what if it’s really her? What if she’s been trapped all this time and we _left_ her there?”

Pangs of guilt began to eat away at Adora. The portal, the world falling apart as reality collapsed in on itself, Angella’s admission and her subsequent sacrifice. _It should have been me_. Her first thought, though she knew Catra would have scolded her for it.

“Sweetheart, if it is her,” Micah said, putting his arms around his daughter, “then we need to find out where she is and more importantly, how we can get to her.” He looked at Entrapta. “How do we find the origin?”

“Hmm,” Entrapta mused, “I’ll need something to augment our communication tower’s capability.” She suddenly stiffened before bouncing on her heels with excitement. “Wait! If we can set up a tower here there may be a way I can boost our receiver’s power to possibly determine the source!”

“How?” Bow asked.

“Wellll…there is some risk, as there always is with scientific endeavors, but I’ll need access to the Moonstone. With increased power input I should be able to strengthen the tower.”

Glimmer didn’t hesitate. “Do it.”

Bow winced. “Glimmer, are you sure you don’t want to give this some thought first? The last time we tapped into a runestone like this it froze the Whispering Woods!”

Entrapta waved her hand, as though they were having a rational scientific debate rather than discussing the possibility of Angella being alive. “Oh, that was very different. I’d only be using the Moonstone to alter the tower’s power slightly.”

“It’s my _mom_ , Bow!” Adora’s heart wrenched at the desperation in Glimmer’s voice. “I can’t just do _nothing_.”

After more back and forth debate over the risks of utilizing the Moonstone, Glimmer cemented her order with the “queen” card and Entrapta agreed to set to work on building a stronger tower at Bright Moon Castle, saying it might take a few days. For now, nothing else could be done and Micah finally suggested everyone get some rest. The room cleared out—Bow touched Glimmer’s arm, unspoken words were said between them, before he too, left. Catra squeezed Adora’s hand.

“Coming?”

Adora kissed her on the cheek. “Go ahead. I’ll be right up.”

Catra hesitated, a long incisor coming down to chew her lower lip, but after a reassuring smile from Adora she sighed and padded out of the room, leaving Adora and Glimmer alone.

Adora slowly approached Glimmer, who stood in front of the table staring at where the projection had previously been. She put a tentative hand on her shoulder. “So…”

Glimmer tensed. “I-I can’t believe this is happening, Adora. My mom could be out there, waiting for us to rescue her. And I…I’ve been here, safe, instead of doing everything I can to—”

“Glimmer, you had no idea! None of us did,” Adora cut in.

Glimmer sniffed. “I didn’t even get to say goodbye. The last thing I did was disobey her, and look what happened!”

Adora quickly took her into an embrace, holding Glimmer to her tight as she felt the wetness of tears seeping into her shirt. “What happened wasn’t your fault, Glimmer. And we’re going to get to the bottom of this. I promise.”

Glimmer pulled away with a final sniff and wiped her eyes. “I know. I know we will—we always do.” She took a deep breath. “Dad’s right. You should get some sleep.”

“I think he meant you, too.”

“I will,” Glimmer said. “I will, just, I need a few minutes alone…if that’s all right.”

“Of course. You know where to find me.”

Glimmer’s distress vanished at that. She muffled a giggle before giving Adora a knowing smirk. “Right. About that…sorry. I guess I forgot that Catra lives here now. I’ll try to remember to knock next time.”

“Oh!” Adora stumbled over her words. “Er…yeah. It’s fine, I mean…yeah. Things are a bit different now, I suppose. I _did_ ask Catra about the date though and she said yes!”

“That’s great!” Glimmer said with a huge grin. “You two are so adorable together.”

“Don’t let Catra hear you say that.”

*******

When Adora returned to her bedroom, she found Catra curled up in a ball on the bed facing away from the door. The tremor in her shoulders told Adora she was crying.

“Catra?” she said as gently as possible before sitting on the bed. “Are you okay?”

Catra shook her head. “This is all my fault,” she croaked.

Adora wasn’t sure what to say at first. Technically, Catra _had_ been the one to open the portal. But the events leading up to that weren’t entirely her doing. And Catra had shown over and over again that she was willing to at least try to right the wrongs she had committed. In many ways she was still Catra but in others, she had changed for the better. They both had.

“No,” she said, her voice level and firm as she took Catra into her arms. “I’m not going to let you put yourself down like this. You didn’t know what would happen.”

“I didn’t _care,”_ Catra cried. She rolled over to face Adora, her blue and yellow eyes streaked with blood vessels from crying. “I only wanted to hurt you—to beat you. I didn’t care about anything or anyone else.”

Adora let her hand stroke Catra’s back. “But you do now.”

Catra went quiet.

“You care now, Catra, I’ve seen it. You did—we both did some pretty awful things to each other. But when you sacrificed yourself to _save_ Glimmer I…I knew you weren’t the same person who opened that portal anymore.”

Catra shrugged. “I guess. I mean, I _do_ care.”

Adora tightened her hold and kissed Catra’s forehead. The tears seemed to be retreating and Catra’s breathing had begun to stabilize. “Glimmer trusts and believes in you. Just as I do. And if there _is_ a chance that Angella might be alive—”

“I’ll help,” Catra declared. “I swear it, Adora. I’m just so _scared_ that after all this, after everything I’ve done that you…that you’ll realize I’m not worth it. That the damage I caused is too much.”

 _Oh, Catra._ “It’s not. I promise. And I’ve told you before and I’ll say it for as long as you need me to: you’re _worth it,_ Catra. You always have been.”

Catra’s ears perked up. “You…you really believe that, don’t you?”

Adora gave her a playful nudge. “Duh. It’s part of the whole ‘I love you’ package. Didn’t you read the fine print?”

“Ack, I keep forgetting to look at that,” Catra quipped, her voice no longer rough from crying.

“You know, maybe you should take up Perfuma’s offer for uh, talking about what happened,” Adora said. “As strange as it might sound, maybe it’s worth checking out.”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Ugh…no thanks.” When she saw Adora’s gaze turn downward she sighed. “Fine. Maybe. But I’m not holding hands with her or singing or dancing or any of that weirdness I’ve seen her do.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t force you to sing. We don’t need anyone’s ears suffering as well.”

“Hey!” Catra shoved her a bit and they dissolved into quiet laughter while holding each other, Catra nuzzling into Adora’s chest as she held her, never wanting to let go.

“So,” Catra finally said once they calmed down, “a date, huh? When do you want to do this?”

Adora considered. “Well,” she began, “it’s going to take Entrapta a few days to get the tower set up. Why don’t we head to the woods tomorrow? We can pack for a few days and go camping—just the two of us.”

Catra nuzzled harder, clinging to Adora’s shirt in a way that made Adora’s stomach flip, but also sending wonderful feelings of warmth to her chest. “I think that sounds like a plan, princess.”

“Please don’t tell me that’s your pet name for me.”

“Meh. Haven’t decided yet,” Catra admitted and Adora could hear the tiredness in her voice. “I’ll think of something.”

Without another word, Adora held her until the interval between breaths widened, and before long she knew Catra was asleep. Reflecting on what had happened, of the possibility that Angella might be alive as well as the anxiety and excitement of their upcoming date, it was some time before Adora felt tired herself. Eventually she closed her eyes, letting the gentle breeze, the drip from the waterfall, and crickets chirping from the open window lull her to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Pride Month! 
> 
> Tune in next time for Adora and Catra's first official date. What should they get up to? Building a fire? Exploring? Peaceful walks in the magical woods? Other stuff *wink wink*? 
> 
> Thanks again for reading and your support as always. I don't have a beta so I apologize for any typos. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments or come say hi on Tumblr!


	4. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After getting held up by their friends, Adora and Catra set off for the Whispering Woods for their first official date. Adora tries to plan everything as usual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll assume you saw this story has a Mature rating. It'll never be super explicit, not really my style. Also, consent is super important-stay safe and respect your partners all.

“Do you guys have everything you need?”

With a firm, confident nod to Bow, Adora proudly gestured to a large, overstuffed backpack on the floor behind her. “Everything we could possibly need for the next three days. I’ve got clothes, a change of clothes, backups of those changes of clothes just in case something happens to the primary clothes and secondary clothes. Also,” she continued, now reading from a notepad that Bow wasn’t quite sure from where she obtained it, “I packed a pot _and_ a pan just in case we decide to switch it up with food, rations to last us at least a week should something happen or we get stranded, blankets _and_ a backup blanket, hygiene products with an extra pack of hairbands…” She flipped a page. “A brush. An extra brush because Catra always tries to use my brush.”

“Whoa.” Bow’s eyes were wide now. “Are you sure you’re not overpacking _just_ a bit, Adora? I mean you’re only going to be in the woods and only gone for a few days.”

Adora crossed her arms and scoffed. “It’s called being prepared, Bow.” She pointed at the notepad. “It’s my first real date with Catra and I’ve decided the best way to make sure everything is _perfect_ is to plan it all out…and that includes being prepared with the right supplies. The Horde’s survival training finally came in handy. Now,” she peered at the page, “we also have—”

“Is Catra also bringing this much?” Bow asked, a teasing smile forming.

“You guys talking about me?” Catra sauntered into the parlor where they had agreed to meet up before departing to the Whispering Woods. Adora noticed she wasn’t carrying anything.

“Uh, where’s your backpack?”

Catra looked confused before noticing the massive pack in the room next to Adora. She leaned back against one of the pillars in the room. “I decided to travel light. Besides it looks like you’ve got that part taken care of.”

Adora made a frustrated noise. “Catra, what if something happens? Don’t you want to be prepared?”

Catra barked out a laugh. “What’s going to happen? Pretty sure we’ve both been in there enough times that we won’t get lost or starve.”

“But—” Before Adora could protest or present her detailed thought process and approach on preparation for a camping trip the air suddenly filled with tiny puffs of sparkling dust that fell slowly from the ceiling after Glimmer teleported right at the center of the room. She seemed out of breath.

“Good, you haven’t left yet,” she panted, hands resting on her knees. “I was in meetings all morning but I wanted to make sure you had everything you needed.”

Bow groaned. “They’re literally going to be gone for three days. _Three_ days. You’re all acting like they’re going to space…again.”

“Hey don’t look at me. I didn’t take anything with me then, either,” Catra said with a shrug.

“Bow!” Glimmer scolded. “This isn’t like all the other times we’ve traveled. This is a big deal!”

“Riiiight,” Bow sighed. “Because traversing the woods countless times, surviving the Crimson Waste, getting stuck in an alternate reality, _and_ going to space were just casual little day trips.”

“Sure, but those didn’t have Adora going on her first _date!”_ Glimmer’s voice pitched upward to the pinnacle of squeals. Adora felt her cheeks grow warm and watched as Catra buried her face in her hands.

“You guys are new to the whole privacy thing, aren’t you?” Catra said. Suddenly, massive muscular arms wrapped around her and she was lifted clear off the ground.

“Aw…Catra! I knew you wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye!” Scorpia cried, holding a wriggling Catra close. “And on your first date, too! I am _so_ proud of you.”

“Scorpia…please…can’t…breathe!” Catra gasped.

But Scorpia didn’t seem to hear her. “My little Wildcat is growing up so fast!”

Adora couldn’t help but laugh at the sight and decided to save Catra from a potentially squishy fate. “Really appreciate the support, guys, but we should probably get going.” A collective groan of disappointment chorused from most of their friends including Perfuma, who had entered the room shortly after Scorpia (“But we just got here!”).

“Okay, no! No, no, no!” Catra growled as Scorpia set her back down. “Adora and I are _leaving_ now. Thank you and goodbye.”

*******

“How in the world did it take us another _two hours_ to get out of there?”

Adora giggled though she was admittedly still a bit flustered about the whole situation. “Sorry,” she said. “They’re just trying to be supportive I guess.” She hefted the backpack to adjust her hold on it. She considered turning into She-Ra to help carry its heavy weight (she was _sure_ they needed all these supplies) but quickly reconsidered. _No, we’re here as Adora and Catra. Bringing She-Ra into this would just turn this date into work. And we’re not working. Nope._

It was just after noon and the sun had moved just below its highest point. A few fluffy clouds floated overhead but it was otherwise a nice day. A light breeze blew through the trees around them, barely strong enough to ruffle Adora’s hair. The animals, though mostly concealed behind thick branches and foliage, were quite active today judging by the excited chirps and squeaks coming from their hiding spots. “We’ll still get there before it gets too late, don’t worry.”

A glow spread through her chest when Catra’s fingers slipped into hers. “What’s the rush? Already have it all planned out, huh? No surprises there, Adora.”

Adora averted Catra’s teasing gaze. “Well, yeah. I mean, I wanted it to be…special since I’ve never done this before.” She let out a quiet yelp when Catra pulled her back, stopping her from going any farther.

Catra stepped in front of her and pulled in close, their foreheads touching. Adora’s heart picked up its pace as the urge to just sink into Catra’s embrace grew harder to resist.

“Listen, dummy. I’m new to this, too, but the last thing I want is for you to stress about all the details here,” Catra said, her voice soothing while also carrying a tinge of something that told Adora she was quite serious. “Let’s just have fun. I would say ‘relax’ but we both know you don’t know what that means.” She finished her speech with a single, soft kiss on Adora’s forehead. It was a simple kiss but it made Adora let out a huge sigh before meeting Catra’s beautiful eyes.

“What?”

Adora threw her arms around Catra, nearly knocking her off balance with the weight of the backpack. “You’re just…you’re _perfect.”_

Catra gave a nervous laugh. “Heh, giving me portal vibes with all this ‘perfect’ talk, Adora,” she said.

Adora pulled back, taking a moment to stroke Catra’s cheek. “Except it’s real this time.” She found herself having to push back happy tears. “I love you.”

“You are such a sap,” Catra said but leaned into Adora’s touch anyway. “And I love you. Now show me where this _perfect_ spot is.”

“You mean ‘purr-fect’.” Adora laughed at her own terrible pun and took Catra’s hand again before they continued to walk.

Catra growled. “Oh, geez. Again with this?” But Adora was still laughing as a few tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry!” she managed between wheezes. “Bow had so many of them and they were all _terrible.”_

“Yeah, Perfuma told me about that.” Catra batted Adora’s arm with her tail. “Though I heard Sparkles’ version of me was even stupider, if that’s possible.”

Adora masked her sarcasm behind a solemn nod. “It definitely was.” They continued through the forest, exchanging quiet, comforting glances that required no words to translate their meaning. Their date had barely begun and Adora was already elated at what was to come.

*******

“That was way better than ration bars. Even the grey kind. And when did you learn how to cook?” Adora propped up against the rolled up spare blanket next to the campfire. Empty plates were piled up at their feet. The clearing they set up camp in was one she’d found during one of her trips to the Crystal Castle to see Light Hope. It was a rockier area than the rest of the woods but was near a cliffside and had an incredible view of the neighboring kingdoms and of course, the stars.

Catra fell back into Adora’s arms, her tail wrapping around her leg. “There were some pretty boring days in the Fright Zone after you left. I picked it up a bit at a time because I couldn’t stand the ration bars anymore. I can’t believe you actually liked those. They taste like disappointment.”

“Disappointment has a taste?”

“Oh yeah,” Catra insisted. She used her foot to push away the empty plates so they had more room to lie down. “It’s somewhere between sand and that weird smell that would come out of the Black Garnet chamber sometimes.”

Adora wasn’t sure how to respond at first. If her memories of the slightly too-chewy Horde-issued ration bars were decent before, they certainly weren’t now. She made a face. “That’s…kinda gross.”

“Yeah, ‘cuz they are.”

They stayed in silence for a while, the crackling of the fire making Adora appreciate how nice it was to get out of the castle. She loved Glimmer and Bow and her other friends but after what had happened in the Heart, she had come to really value her time alone with Catra more. She made a mental note to thank Glimmer when they returned for her date idea.

“Whatcha thinking about?”

Adora shook her head, realizing Catra was asking her a question. “Oh! Uh…not much. Just thinking I should thank Glimmer when we get back. She’s the one who told me about…dates and stuff.”

Catra shot her a toothy grin. “Glimmer? If I didn’t know better I’d wonder if I should be jealous.”

“Funny.” Adora pursed her lips, her next question igniting the nerves from earlier. “You _are_ having fun, though?”

Catra untangled her tail before rolling over so that she was on all fours over Adora, who lost the ability to breathe when Catra’s face was suddenly less than an inch from hers.

“I’m having a blast.” Catra’s voice was low and rough as she cupped Adora’s face in her hands, their lips colliding in a deep kiss. Adora moved her hands so they rested on Catra’s back as she felt her shift, intertwining their legs while remaining propped on her hands and knees. The kiss seemed to last forever until Catra pulled away. Adora let out a protesting groan but Catra just stroked her hair reassuringly.

“I want to try something. Tell me if you want me to stop, okay?”

Adora nodded, not sure what exactly to expect, before Catra’s soft lips came down at the vulnerable juncture of her neck and collarbone. A wonderful heat she’d never felt before immediately began spreading from within as Catra began to lightly bite down and suck on the sensitive skin there. She arched her back and cried out, ignoring everything around her that wasn’t Catra.

Adora definitely didn’t want this to stop. Her heart racing, she continued to cling to Catra, not realizing her own strength until Catra’s arms trembled and she collapsed on Adora. A knee found its way between Adora’s legs, moving upward, whether out of instinct or on accident Adora wasn’t sure. She gasped and tensed, finding it difficult to breathe all of a sudden. _That was new._ The stars above spun, spirals of light which only served to make her lightheaded. Something called to her, she wanted to explore and see what _that_ was supposed to be but she held back. She wasn’t naïve—she knew what came after this, but experiencing those feelings, both physical and emotional, was too much for her right now. _Not yet._

Catra must noticed because she immediately regained her balance with all of the usual grace and fluidity with which she typically moved. She sat up, giving Adora the space she needed. “Adora, it’s just me! It’s okay. It’s only me. Hey.” She took Adora’s shaking hands in hers and kissed them. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…was that too much?”

Adora stared up at those concerned, kind eyes glowing back at her. She wasn’t used to this, wasn’t used to being nervous about anything. “I’m okay, Catra. I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to freak out.”

Catra shook her head. “Don’t apologize. I guess…I didn’t realize how fast that would be and I lost my balance and...” She sighed, already looking frustrated with herself.

That was enough for Adora to take her back in her arms again. “You’re fine. I’m just completely out of my territory here. There’s nothing in Horde training or She-Ra training that prepares you for this.” Another small kiss on Catra’s lips. “Besides, it felt really nice.”

Catra held onto her, a different sort of warmth returning, this one more familiar. “It did.”

“Could we maybe…” Adora wanted, needed to stay close to Catra but she also didn’t want Catra to feel guilty or ashamed. “Could you just hold me tonight?”

Even in the orange glow of the fire, she could see Catra’s expression brighten as her cheeks flushed a deep red. “Yeah, of course.”

They rearranged themselves on the blanket, and Adora felt herself already drifting to sleep as the feelings of love and safety in Catra’s arms kept her heartbeat and breathing steady.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Adora and Catra spend some more time in the woods and maybe visit a few familiar places. 
> 
> Thank you for all the support and comments! I love reading what you think. I'm also on [Tumblr](https://breakthewheelagain.tumblr.com/) if you have more thoughts on this fic or just the show in general!


	5. Omen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora takes Catra to meet a very special friend. Catra struggles with past traumas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly a plot chapter with some fluff/comfort. TW: some graphic descriptions of trauma related to season 5 events.

_“Little sister…”_

No.

 _The glow of green enveloped her, seeping into her. The taunts,_ his taunts _carving into her skin, just like the chip. The muted click of cold plastic set something off in her, her deep fear of being controlled. She had sworn never to let anyone control her again, never tell her what to do…and now?_

_“I’m sorry…for everything!”_

_The acid burned as it rushed into her nose and mouth, cutting off her oxygen supply, her lungs soon screaming for air. She fought to stay afloat but her limbs were useless, her mind numbing more with every second she remained in the caustic pool._

_“She distracts you.” Prime’s words? No, Shadow Weaver. Another terrible person._

_Her vision blurred. The chanting grew louder until the very metal the room was constructed of rumbled from the droning of the clones. The skin on the back of her neck split open as the chip was forcibly fused into her. A sickening odor of burnt hair and flesh assaulted her nostrils as the fur around the chip was singed from the machine._

_“Catra.”_

_She glanced up, no longer in the pool but instead on the edge of the platform where she and Adora had battled for the last time. The voice should have brought her comfort…but something was wrong._

_“It’s time to end this.” Adora—no, She-Ra stood before her. Her sword hung at her side, a glowing beacon of hope and power._

_“Adora, no! Please, I-I love you!”_

_She-Ra’s radiant blue eyes did not blink, the full focus of them on her now. A muscular, bracer-covered arm shot out and wrapped its hand around her throat before lifting her clear off the ground. She turned her head slightly and gasped at the drop below._

_“Adora you gotta stop! Please don’t do this,” she begged, tears streaming down her face. But when she met She-Ra’s gaze again, it was no longer her but Adora in her place, her eyes no longer a brilliant blue but a blood red._

_“I_ have _to do this.” Adora cold gaze shattered any remaining hope in Catra’s heart. The chip fired off a series of charges—she was beyond pain now, waiting, no_ hoping _for Adora to let go so she wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. So that neither of them suffered anymore._

_She took a final breath as Adora released her._

*******

_“NO! ADORA!”_ Catra woke with a scream, still at the brink of her nightmare as she thrashed about in the makeshift nest of blankets.

“Catra! Catra wake up, it’s me! I’m here!” Someone was calling her but she couldn’t reach them. She was drowning and couldn’t get to the surface for much needed air. With all her strength she gave a powerful swing of her arm, clawing to escape. Nothing. She tried again and something, someone…caught her.

“I’ve got you. I’m not letting go.” A familiar smell. A smell she’d known all her life. She could never forget it.

Her eyes opened, the face above her blurry at first. The sky was bright, too bright, despite the trees concealing much of it. A flutter of wings zoomed over her. Her vision focused, then sharpened.

Adora. Her blonde hair fell down to just above her shoulders, disheveled. Those eyes Catra was so familiar with were a calming blue, not the terrifying glow or blood red they were in her…dream. _Just a dream. A really bad dream._

“Hey, Catra.” She noticed for the first time Adora was holding her wrist with one hand and sighed with relief when she didn’t see any scratch marks on her.

“Hi.” Her ears flattened against her hair. “I…sorry if I woke you.”

Adora leaned down and kissed the top of her head. That seemed to help a bit. “You didn’t. I’ve been up for a while. I thought I’d let you sleep in but…” Her warm smile faded to worry. “This one seemed worse,” she finished quietly and helped Catra sit up. The warm hand resting on her back made her tail flick back and forth.

“It was—it just seemed so real this time,” Catra said. Her voice was rough and her throat ached from screaming. Her eyes were tired and dry and it occurred to her that she probably didn’t get a great night of sleep as a result of the dream.

“Was it about Prime again? Or something else?” Adora asked, rubbing small circles on Catra’s back.

“It was…” She exhaled a shuddering breath but was able to take some comfort in Adora’s touch. “I was being chipped again. And…” She didn’t finish.

Adora moved closer, trying to get Catra to look at her. “Hey,” she soothed. “It’s all right. You don’t have to share.”

Catra shook her head. “N-no. It’s fine. You were there, well, She-Ra was and you had—your eyes were red like they were that one time, with the virus.”

Adora’s eyebrows pulled upward, though Catra wasn’t certain if it was out of sadness or pity. She still wasn’t used to seeking comfort for her “issues” but at least with Adora she was trying. “We were on that platform by Prime’s throne. You…threw me off,” she finished, her voice becoming a whisper at the end.

Adora was quiet for a moment though she continued rubbing Catra’s back. “You know I would never do that, right? That data shard—virus thing is gone, and it only worked with the old sword because it was a piece of First Ones tech. Also,” she said and moved her hand to Catra’s face, stroking the side of it with her thumb, “I _love_ you, and that would never happen.”

Catra’s breathing finally evened out as her heart swelled with love for Adora. Wondering once again how she got so lucky, she leaned into the touch, purring so loud Adora started giggling.

“All right, enough of this moping. I’m starving,” she said, giving Adora a quick parting kiss. A long rumble from Adora’s stomach confirmed she felt the same. “Can we eat something?”

Adora’s immediate response was a sheepish grin as she batted her eyelashes. “You feel like cooking again?”

*******

“I hate butterflies.”

Adora clapped her hands. “Aw, come on they’re pretty! And they seem to like you.”

“It flew into my face! It attacked me. Unprovoked I should add.”

“Oh, stop,” Adora laughed, patting Catra on the shoulder. “It didn’t know what it was doing.”

Catra grumbled but interlaced her fingers with Adora’s anyway as they continued walking through the woods, letting a comfortable silence pass between them. Growing up in the Fright Zone always surrounded by metal and people made for a very loud upbringing for the two of them. Catra never knew how much she appreciated these quiet moments until recently. Just knowing Adora was there with her and would continue to be there with her was a feeling she didn’t know if she’d ever get used to.

Eventually she realized she had no idea where they were going, the trail had disappeared a good while ago but Adora seemed to know where they were going. “So, is part two of this date also a surprise or were we just going to keep walking until one of us got tired?”

Adora flashed her what appeared to be an attempt at a cocky smile but honestly just came out lovingly dorky. “I know where we’re going, silly. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

 _Some_ one? “All right, princess. We’d better not be working though. You promised.”

Adora squeezed her hand. “Nope. No work. Although…I guess you could say I met her through work?”

“Huh. Okay, then.” Catra wasn’t sure what she meant but she figured it wouldn’t hurt to go along with it. After all, it’s wasn’t as though they needed to be anywhere else. Her mind briefly wandered to the event in Bright Moon days earlier, Entrapta’s unannounced visit, and the signal they had picked up. The guilt over the portal returned in full force Adora’s touch the only thing preventing it from consuming her again. She swallowed and tried to push back the negative thoughts, hoping Adora wouldn’t notice. The last thing Catra wanted was for the date to be ruined because she couldn’t deal with her issues.

But of course, Adora noticed anyway. “Hey,” she said, “we don’t have to go, you know. We can do something else.”

Catra ran a nervous hand through her hair, a habit that had become more common since it was cut short. “No, this is fine.” She adopted her usual teasing grin, curving her lips just enough to show her lower fangs. “Let me guess, it’s another one of your nerdy rebellion friends.”

“Not quite.” Adora’s steps were more hurried now—Catra noticed she was being pulled through the forest more than just walking alongside each other. “Come on, I think you’ll like her.”

“Her?”

“Yeah, she’s a little…off and honestly, I don’t understand what she’s saying half the time,” Adora rambled, “but she was always there when I needed help.”

They walked a bit farther, the trees seemingly closing in around them as they ventured deeper into the forest. On more than one occasion Catra wanted to ask Adora if she was sure she knew where she was going but she kept quiet, her ears attuned with their surroundings, listening for anything that might come out of the brush and possibly attack them.

“There!” Adora finally exclaimed and pointed ahead.

Sure enough, a tiny ramshackle hut stood just beyond a huge gnarled root a few paces ahead. A very short old woman walked back and forth in front of it, sweeping. Her thick glasses made her eyes seem larger than they were under the massive mane of tangled, twig-ridden white hair.

“Madame Razz!” Adora called out. The woman looked up from her sweeping (of…the dirt? Catra didn’t understand why you would sweep dirt but she also didn’t understand why this woman was living out here on her own in the creepiest part of the woods) and nearly dropped her broom, her already large eyes growing even wider. “Ah! Adora, you are here. Finally!” She abruptly turned and went into the house.

Catra raised an eyebrow, confused. “Um, what was that?”

“Yeah, she does that. Come on.” Still holding on, she led Catra over the exposed root and into the house, which Catra was pretty certain was a rainstorm or a windy day away from collapsing.

The house barely had enough room for one person, let alone three, but the scent of baked goods wafting through the air was enough to convince Catra to stick around and observe at least for a few minutes. Baked items were a new _wonderful_ thing she had only begun trying after moving to Bright Moon, and she was always up for trying more.

“Madame Razz, how are you?” Adora asked, though Razz didn’t seem to be paying much attention to them, which seemed weird to Catra considering they had practically barged into her house without permission.

“Yes, yes Adora dear, now let’s see,” Razz muttered. “Ah! Here.” She walked right by Catra, completely ignoring her and started to frantically sift through a messy pile of what at first appeared to be garbage. But when Catra stole a closer look she saw pieces of Prime bots, some First Ones data shards, and a really bright pink feather boa amidst the heap of paper, more baskets, and kitchenware.

“Razz, this is Catra.” Adora gestured to point Catra out. “She’s my…” She stopped and looked to Catra, a hopeful smile now on her face. Just being around Adora when she was beaming like this made Catra’s cheeks flare up. Unable to express much in the way of words, she settled on a shy nod.

“She’s my girlfriend,” Adora finished and Catra’s heart swelled with pride. _I’m her girlfriend._

Madame Razz stopped searching and pulled a wicker basket from the pile. She approached the two of them and her eyes gravitated to their joined hands. “Yes, so I see. Well.” She thrust the basket in Adora’s face. “I need berries. Go get me some. And you,” she pointed at Catra, “we need to get the rest of the ingredients. You can stay and help.”

“I—uh,” was Catra’s reply. Were those _moths_ flying around this woman’s head?

Adora chuckled. “Hey, Razz, we already got berries remember?”

“I need more,” Razz ordered while still managing to sound kind and encouraging somehow. She shoved the basket into Adora’s hands and pushed her toward the entrance. “Be sure to get enough! We are making _two_ pies today.”

“Be right back!” Adora squealed as she staggered out of the door.

Catra shivered as the fur on her tail stood on end. Something about being alone with this crazy, if harmless, old lady felt weird. Not wrong necessarily, but unsettling. She couldn’t put her finger on it.

Razz’s attention was on her again. “So, here you are. You helped Adora.”

Catra blinked before she realized Razz must have isolated her for a reason. “Do I know you? Wait, did I do…anything to uh, harm you? Because I’m not part of the Horde anymore. I’m done with that and I _won’t_ hurt Adora.”

But Razz simply smiled and shook her head. “Of _course_ you won’t hurt her! You tried to break the world, but in the end it was you who was broken, yes?” Ignoring Catra’s stunned expression, she waddled to the pantry and procured the rest of the baking ingredients before mixing several of them into a wooden bowl. “Mara would be so happy to see the stars now, but they are still out there.” She shook the spoon at Catra. “They are waiting.”

 _What?_ A lump formed in Catra’s throat as quiet tendrils of dread wrapped around her insides. “W-who’s waiting? Horde Prime?” She scowled and approached Razz. “That’s impossible—She-Ra got rid of him for good. He’s gone!”

“No, no, not him!” Razz scolded, as though Catra would have any idea what in the world she was going on about. “The world was broken— _you_ were broken my dear. So many lost, disappearing, and then _she_ had to save us. Back at the beginning, you see.” She went back to stirring the batter.

Catra’s lips parted in a silent gasp. _The portal._

“How do you kn—that’s over and fixed. Glimmer’s…Queen Angella fixed it,” she said, her throat now dry.

Madame Razz glanced up only for a moment, those wide eyes staring into Catra. “ _You_ brought us to the beginning, dear. The portal was open and for just a moment, you could see the stars again!”

 _She’s obviously crazy. And what’s taking Adora so long?_ She took a step back. “Look, lady, I already apologized for opening that portal. It’s…over. It’s in the past and there isn’t anything I can do about it now except to say I’m sorry and—”

“The _stars,”_ Razz repeated. She dropped the spoon and grabbed Catra’s wrist with a veiny hand, making Catra squeak in alarm. “We saw them.”

 _Get me out of here!_ “That’s great. You saw the stars. What about them? Why is that so important?” 

“It is important!” Madame Razz pressed, her already raspy voice even more fragile, “It is important because _they_ saw us too. And now they will want to come back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO THAT HAPPENED. Thanks as always for reading and leaving feedback! This has been a lot of fun to write and I hope it's interesting for you as well! I try to update often but sometimes the words don't want to work so there might be a bit of a delay sometimes.
> 
> Coming up next: Adora and Catra head back to Bright Moon to check on Entrapta's progress.


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